"My fingers huuuurt."
Koharu was face deep in one of the sofa pillows in the living room of her apartment. She spent all day practicing in the virtual world, continuing after her conversation with Jaymes and after he left two hours ago. She didn't solely focus on her recital piece, but messed around with other music to keep her brain from melting.
She allowed herself two breaks, one to go eat a virtual lunch with her partner, another to stroll the fourth floor of New Aincrad. It was not the same floor as its predecessor, so they couldn't go on a boat ride through the town, yet it was still a beautiful place. Otherwise, her fingers were on the keys.
So in reality, Koharu was being dramatic; she was mentally drained and her actual fingers were painless. As for who she was complaining to, it was the younger human boy seated on the floor watching television and eating rice and curry for dinner. He completely ignored her whining, too focused on some samurai show to care for his sister's woes.
"Hey, Suko, pay attention to your dying older sister."
"Not my problem."
Suko Honda, two years younger than Koharu and a first year in high school. His favorite hobby is anything regarding samurai, he's part of the kendo club, his idol is Musashi Miyamoto, and if you're not talking Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu, you might as well not talk to Suko. The common interest of the Honda siblings happened to be VRMMOs, though while Koharu loved the fantasy of the Sword Art series and ALO, Suko was strictly an Asuka Empire player — and pretty damn good at it.
Koharu could compare her relationship with Suko to Kazuto and Suguha. They weren't estranged like the Kirigaya siblings prior to SAO, but after SAO ended, it took quite a while for the Honda siblings to get used to each other again. Suko was twelve when Koharu was trapped in the game, and grew up believing that his sister wouldn't survive or, since she continued living, she was cowering and crying in some corner of Aincrad. When he learned that Koharu not only escaped the game, but was one of the top players of the game, he found it difficult to believe.
After a couple months of disrespect, Koharu was fed up with Suko and decided to prove her strength. Taking Kazuto's move against Suguha months earlier, Koharu challenged Suko to a duel in Asuka Empire, disregarding that she would be inexperienced in how the game works. To her surprise, he accepted without hesitation. She only asked that there were no witnesses and for something akin to a dagger. He gave her what she wanted despite thinking she wasn't taking him seriously, and initiated a first-strike duel.
Suko lost in five seconds, nearly having his head decapitated after charging carelessly at her. In the end, he wasn't taking her seriously, figuring she'd be easy to toy with for a while, and paid with the most frightening glare he'd ever seen on his elder sister's face.
"If you had taken me seriously, maybe the outcome would have been different. I would have to learn how this game worked, learn how you fight, and strategize around it. But I would have won in the end for one reason: You fight in this world either for fun or for strength, but I fought to survive. To do that, I had to become stronger than I was before, and it wasn't easy. I fought monsters and people day by day. Every danger you heard about SAO, I went through it. Every death that was counted, I watched a good number with my own eyes. If you believe me to be weak because I lasted as long as I did, you are wrong. I did become strong enough to escape that game, and it was to see my cute little brother. Now let's do this again, fight with the honor of a samurai, and take me seriously."
Despite the boast, Koharu indeed lost the second duel, but it lasted far longer than Suko anticipated. Stats aside, Koharu had experience far outweighing his own, so she was able to hold her own against a superior opponent until the end. With respect earned, the Honda siblings regained their relationship with a side effect.
After the duel, and thanking her partner for protecting his sister, Suko started to hold Jaymes in such high esteem that he started calling the older boy his "sworn brother", whatever that meant. Suko's current dream was to snatch Jaymes from ALO and GGO to play Asuka Empire. Since Jaymes would preserve his stats from those games, it wouldn't be difficult for him to progress through the player classes. Jaymes promised that one day they'll play together.
Back to the present, Koharu was annoyed that the samurai otaku was ignoring her, so she reached for the bottle of spicy chili sauce on the table and nearly poured it on Suko's curry. He stopped her with his hand, still paying her no attention. Defeated, she slipped down to the floor, applied a few drops of the sauce to her plate, and continued speaking anyway with something that would interest him. "So you're going to YUNA's concert? We saw her last night at one of the Ordinal Scale raids, against Kagachi."
Like clockwork, her brother's eyes sparkled. "I saw. Kagachi the Samurai Lord, right? He was so cool! What's the story behind him?"
"Another time. About the concert, your sworn brother is coming, so you won't be hanging out with us girls. So there goes your short-lived popular phase." She snickered while he grumbled something mean to himself. "Why so mad? There's no good being popular with the ladies anyway."
"My brother is popular with the ladies. Why he likes you is the mystery. If he came to Asuka once, he'll see there's tons of girls in kimonos. Some are pretty str-ouch!!!" Suko nursed his throbbing forehead while Koharu set down the spoon she wacked him with.
"I'll pretend you didn't imply that there are girls better for him than me. There's things more than looks that make our relationship work. Sure, I know there are prettier choices, but I know him and he knows me."
He sighed and returned his attention to the samurai show. "I know, I was just joking. If I had a girlfriend like how he got one, I guess there'd be no one else for me. I'm kinda jealous. It's not like I'm not trying, but who'd date someone with extensive knowledge of the Warring States period? All the girls in your group are older and taken."
"Hmm... Not true. Keiko's the same age as you and single." Before Koharu could elaborate further, her phone vibrated. She found a message from Asuna that read, "Klein just texted me the details for tonight's raid. It's close by at Yoyogi Park and I'm getting ready to head out. You in?"
It was 8:31. Koharu hadn't realized there'd be a raid tonight, but she was pumped to go. She replied back to Asuna, sent Joshua a text, and scarfed down her food. "What is wrong with you?" her brother asked, disgusted by her sudden behavior.
She hopped to her seat and rushed to her room. "Can't talk, gotta head out with Asuna and Joshua. I'll be back in an hour or so."
"Okay, be safe."
xxxxxxxx
Yoyogi National Gymnasium, ~ 30 minutes later
"I feel like a third wheel to a late-night date."
"You should be used to this by now."
"You have a problem hanging out with Koharu and me? It's not often you get to be with two pretty girls like us."
Joshua sighed and placed his hands in his pockets. Asuna and Koharu were walking with linked arms as they walked to the park, so to any unsuspecting observers, it would look like Joshua was third-wheeling a same-sex couple, if not being a creep behind two girl best friends. Considering that Asuna and Koharu were like sisters, they thought nothing of it. They've been like this since they officially met at the amphitheater in the village of Tolbana on Aincrad's first floor. The bond of sisterhood started hours later as they shared a bath in the living space Kirito rented from some farmers.
"I think it was too often that it was the three of us. After all, you called on us when KoB was in a bind. Don't you know how it looked being a boy with two girls? If glares could kill..."
"Hehe. Suko was saying how he admired that girls surrounded you, and I told him it's not that pleasant."
"It's only pleasant if you're... No, even that's not pleasant. That was the worst night ever. You two and the rest have ruined every dream a boy could have with multiple girls."
Asuna smiled and held Koharu closer to her as they crossed a bridge over the street adjacent to the park. "Oh, shut up. You are lucky to get one girl to look your way. And while we're going down that specific path down memory lane, I recall you saying you'll forget that night on the thirty-fifth floor. Seems impossible for a moron like you."
"Oh, I do my best to kill myself whenever I remember you in anything but armor, Flash. But by the Christian God's grace, Koharu's angelic presence blesses me to balance that disgust out. It's a miracle Kazuto and any guy could stand the sight of a Gorgon like you."
"Before you two kill each other," Koharu interrupted, feeling partially bashful by Jaymes' compliment and equally pissed it was used as an insult, "which boss do you think will show up tonight?"
Jaymes closed his eyes in thought. "Let's assume they're not gonna go too far up the ladder. Per the forums, the raids so far have gone in order, so Kagachi was the tenth boss again. If I had to guess on labyrinth bosses, chronologically, the next one is.........ugh."
"Ugh?"
Koharu cleared up Asuna's confusion. "The eleventh floor's boss was the Storm Griffin, remember? That's the boss where Heathcliff saved Jaymes. That's when KoB unofficially debuted."
Asuna clapped and exclaimed, "Right! I should have remembered you were almost bird food, hehe."
"That's not funny, I almost died!"
"Yet here you are, a nuisance to my life."
"Hey girls, Jaymes! Right on time!" As the trio walked down the steps to the park's entrance, they approached Klein and his friends. "Thanks for coming out tonight. I hope that text didn't wake you up or interrupt your practice."
"Oh no," Asuna replied, "I wasn't in bed yet. You caught me taking a bath."
"Yeah, I had finished practicing myself, bathed far longer than I should've, and ate dinner with my brother. It's all good; it gives me a chance to...why are you guys looking like that."
The men, Joshua included, all looked uncomfortable. Koharu processed what she and Asuna could've said to make them feel that way. When she realized the image of two beautiful girls—both of legal age across the world—bathing moments prior, plus they were still locking arms and had their bodies close, Koharu couldn't honestly blame them. Though it miffed her that Jaymes was blushing too, and she'd be damned if Asuna was on his mind after all he just said.
Releasing Asuna, Koharu elbowed her boyfriend back from dreamland, causing him to sputter out, "O-oh, um, yeah. Asuna and Koharu invited me along. I wasn't doing much, to be honest."
"Smooth, moron," Asuna chided, then glanced back at the older men. "You're missing one of your friends." True to Asuna's observation, Fuurinkazan was short one member. It looked like one of their tanks.
"Oh, yeah. We sent him a message, but he hasn't called back yet. How about you go on ahead? We'll jump in once he gets here."
"Okay. But you better hurry; otherwise, we'll scoop up all your points for ourselves."
"Hey, let's not be greedy!" With a wave, they passed Furinkazan and joined the growing crowd. They logged into Ordinal Scale and found a spot to sit and wait for the raid to begin.
"So, Koharu, is practice going okay?"
"It's a pain in the fingers, but everything is going well. Thanks for asking, Asuna."
"I can't wait for the performance. It's been three years since you started writing the song, right? Have you heard it, Jaymes?"
"Not in its entirety. Aside from when we met up, I wasn't listening today when Ko was practicing, so until the recital, I won't know what the entire thing sounds like. I don't even know what the name of the song is."
"If I tell you the song's name, it'll spoil everything. So, until the recital, I'm keeping it under wraps." Deciding to switch topics, Koharu turned to Asuna. "Speaking of upcoming events, you and Kirito are going to the meteor shower next week, right?"
"Right. Are you sure you two don't want to come? I was surprised you shut Kirito down."
Jaymes huffed and replied, "Look, we four are together enough as is. He promised to show you the shower, and while it was nice of him to extend the invitation to us, I would rather not intrude on a moment meant for you two. I'm sure we'll be on enough double dates this summer to make me sick of you two. And that's with the other summer stuff I'll be doing."
"Alright, you made your point."
"But you better get my bro a good gift. Do me that favor."
Ah, right. Asuna had been playing Ordinal Scale to gather enough points to buy Kirito a gift. She sighed and twiddled her fingers. "Only halfway there. I can't wait to surprise him. It's not fair to receive a gift and not give one. I wonder how pretty of a ring he's giving me." A pair of green and light brown eyes angled to the sole boy in the trio. Jaymes grunted and turned away, not giving an indication as to whether he knew about the ring or not. If Koharu and Asuna knew their companion well, he was just keeping a secret.
"Well it's time," the boy stated, roughly transitioning the topic back to Ordinal Scale. The world around them, however, smoothly warped from their world back to the augmented one. This time, their surroundings seemed to be a ruin town, the opposite of the previous night's location. The orange holographic pillars and graffiti were present too.
"Please be the ninth floor boss. Please be the First Fallen. Please be the First Fallen..."
"Why would you prefer him?"
"It wouldn't feel right to beat the final boss of the Elf War Campaign without Kirito with us. And didn't you say the first ten were already used?"
"Just anyone but the—" Fire erupted on higher ground, turning their eyes to it. What was born from it was a creature with eagle-like wings, spanning 25 feet in each direction. Its head and front legs were also that of an eagle, while the body, back legs, and tail resembled a lion's.
"...Heh."
"Oh."
"Dammit... And stop your sneering!"
xxxxxx
The eleventh floor of Aincrad was a desert region, the first true desert region of the game. Koharu, Jaymes, Kirito, and Asuna were first on the unexplored frontier, now that the first ten levels known in the beta (with varying level of changes) had been conquered. For the first time, we were in unknown territory, and split off on our own. After chilling for the rest of the evening and doing small quests the next, we took on a quest on the second morning on the floor; a merchant waiting for a colleague to cross the desert, only for the passage to be blocked by a sandstorm. Of course we'd be happy to carry the bought goods to the colleague while dealing with the storm and any monsters we come across.
That sandstorm was no joke, and we weren't the only ones stuck in a cave for protection. We met Silica and Liten. Turned out ALS was already out in the field, and were caught by the sandstorm, though luckily no one was blown away to their deaths. Most of them found shelter in the storm while others managed to remain alive thanks to taking hold to large rocks.
As fir why ALS was in the treacherous desert, it was related to a potential quest found in the small town of Taft, where we've been since we opened the teleport gate. They had spoken to three elders who said there was a treasure in the tomb of an old king; however, the truth of the treasure's existence was obscured by the elders. One said it was taken by other kings, another said it was still in the tomb and the last said it was without a form. Kibaou figured that the truth must come to light, and if it can help us progress through the floor, it was worth seeking it out.
No one could have expected a fierce sandstorm sweeping across the desert. We didn't have an idea of how big the desert itself was, but given that the floor was still a little over five miles in diameter. And that lack of knowledge plus nothing concrete on the quest's start was why Liten was in the cavern. She just happened to run into Silica, who was caught up searching for crystals to feed her dragon Pina for affection points and exploring. Our hawker was in the area too, but the girls lost sight of him when the storm began.
Then we met a weirdo NPC who listened to rocks.
After the storm died, we met the hawker on the over side of the cavern, and thankfully he gave us some information o the king's treasure. Apparently the king was a hoarder, and had his treasure buried with him. His grandson attempted to use the treasure when a grand war broke out, which we knew was the War of the Nine Kingdoms that preceded the Great Separation and creation of Aincrad, and the grandson hire a famous bandit who declared he could find the treasure. The bandit did so after three days, leading the king to it, but the two would never return, for when the guards entered after hearing their screams, they would find a creature drenched in the king and bandit's blood. Or at least this was one of the endings
We'd later learn that tomb was now the Celestial Tower (a recurring theme, in retrospect, that places where powerful entities were sealed became those towers) and the creature defending the treasure was the Storm Griffin.
Three days later, Liten, Ko, and I were outside the boss' lair. The Asault Team gathered here out of habit, but this was our first floor without an idea of what the boss' capabilities were, so leadership was debating whether to scout or go in guns blazing -- If Lind and Kibaou's arguments could be called that. For the first time since the first floor, Koharu and I had no information on the boss, but thankfully Asuna and Kirito arrived. But they hurried with a document that needed to be translated, and hadn't had time to fully decipher it --which Koharu and I did obtain. We didn't learn anything but its true name and its appearance, but it was enough to deduce that a scout team of Koharu, Liten, Asuna, Kirito, Agil, and myself.
As for why I hate that fricking beast, the griffin had the ability to create sandstorms with its wings, and it was responsible for the ones we've experienced the entire time. Unfortunately, that wedged sand between the doors, looking us six in the room for the time being until we fulfilled a condition. We'd learn from Argo that the storms grew stronger the more damage it took, and one should be strong enough to blast the doors open. The one that came was indeed strong enough to do so, but it also knocked us off our feet for the knockdown debuff, and the damned lion-eagle-snake creature set its talons on my fallen form.
My life was saved by no other than Heathcliff, also known as Akihiko Kayaba, who I wouldn't officially meet until the twelfth floor. Ironic how the man who trapped me in SAO would save it twice in a row. But this was the first time my life was critically endangered by the game instead of some PKer dipshit. Not a memory worth revisiting.
xxxxxx
"Is everyone ready?" As before, YUNA and her pet bird descended from a drone and granted the players a bonus. "It's time to battle! So start the music!" The music began and Koharu fought the urge to start cheering. This song was completely brand new — Silica and Leafa are gonna be so jealous they missed out!
"You see Klein and them here?" Jaymes asked.
"Not at all." Koharu kept searching, but she saw no sign of Fuurinkazan. "Guess we're on our own for now?"
Asuna nodded, then eyed the Storm Griffin. "You remember its attack patterns? Unlike Kagachi, though, I'm not sure it can work the same way."
Asuna's correct. The Griffin's basic attacks with its beak and talons were most likely present, but its ability to cause a sandstorm wouldn't work here. It also had electric-element attacks that could stun or paralyzed players in SAO — if they survived the attack. "So should we emulated yesterday's strategy?"
Asuna shrugged and faced Jaymes with a teasing smile. "Your call, leader."
"Hmph." He said nothing more as they watched the Storm Griffin take flight and soar down. Talons flared, they swished through the air. The two players in front of the trio were struck but not eliminated, while Koharu and Asuna leapt out the way. Jaymes stood his ground, letting his shield take the brunt of the attack.
Lowering his shield as his adversary returned to the sky, the former Crimson Warrior stated, "No, we'll do as we did before. Take the fight to it, but assume the big attack still exists. If it's not the attack itself, the signs should be. Watch its wings!"
"Got it!"
Xxxxxxxx
Gunfire rained upon the Storm Griffin as it sprinted across the ground. It took off and settled upon a stony pillar for some reprieve. With ferocious blood-red eyes, the Storm Griffin glared at its opponents, screeching as electricity buzzed around it.
It wasn't the same wind-based attack as in SAO, but the preceding signs of the Storm Griffin's destructive attack remained as Jaymes predicted. Before the sandstorms, wind would swirl around the Storm Griffin right before it took to the air, and the result here was the same. After its light show, the beast ascended.
"It's winding up."
"Here it comes."
"Just as we talked about. Get ready."
"Right!" Koharu and Asuna split off from Jaymes. The latter was sent to issue orders to the tanks and riflemen — given previous experience, Jaymes figured they'd listen to Asuna before they listen to him, especially if there were repeat players from last night — while Koharu got to the attackers.
"You guys, the tanks will draw the monster's aggro and the gunners will shoot it down. Our job will be to attack it once it hits the ground."
"You got it," one of the men said, and there wasn't opposition or questioning. The attackers stood at the ready, watching as the Storm Griffin hovered over the aggro-drawing tanks. With an echoing growl, electricity crackled around its body and zapped the ground around the tanks.
They held firm, and the next voice was Asuna yelling, "Fire!" The gunmen responded with a volley of gunfire, striking the Griffin's body and wings. As it descended rapidly, Koharu flipped her dagger into the backhand grip. "Let's go!" Koharu's group met the Storm Griffin at its point of impact, hacking away at it enough to knock it on its back.
Amazingly, the Storm Griffin recovered and madly ran around the transfigured park. It collided into pillars and players before it met the cold steel of a longsword. It sagittally sliced through the Storm Griffin's body, splitting it into dorsal and ventral halves as it passed the swordsman holding the blade. That was its last move, erupting into innumerable fragments behind the swordsman.
With the light behind him creating a silhouette, the swordsman posed valiantly and poetically said, "So we meet again, but this time is different. I got my revenge."
Xxxxxxx
"Another victory for us."
"Good job, Koharu."
While Jaymes was uttering haikus, Koharu and Asuna celebrated their victory with a fist bump. The world of Ordinal Scale returned to normal and they sheathed their blades. Koharu stretched her arms and was about to suggest they make a stop for a snack when the girls were approached by some of the other players. "Yo, you two were amazing out there."
"Nice strategy!"
"Yeah, you were awesome! You girls play any other games?"
Koharu was utterly silenced and her body stiffened. She had never done well with attention, especially if it's sudden. If she was prepared, maybe she could answer the men, but rejecting nice people made her feel guilty too. So she hoped Asuna could save them.
"Huh? Oh, uh..."
...Where's her boyfriend when he's need — oh, there he is. Jaymes possessively brought Koharu into his clutches like they're in a shouju manga. He didn't place himself between her and the men like he did in the old, pre-dating, extremely jealous days, but he was certainly riding off the coattails of his victory on an old nemesis as he stated, "Sorry guys, but she's with me and me alone... You can have that one, though."
"Huh?"
"Hello again!" Thankfully YUNA's arrival interrupted Asuna's soaring rage. She landed between the trio, though Asuna scampered off before YUNA could do anything. The idol sighed, then turned to Koharu and Jaymes. With a smile that made Koharu's heart throb, Yuna stated, "Tonight, you're the MVP."
What happened next completely shattered Koharu's mind. It made her ignore the 10,000 points she gained in rank and YUNA's farewell almost bypassed her. "Thanks for tonight. See you later, Jaymes and Koharu... you too, Asuna."
She gasped as YUNA waved and vanished without a trace. The crowd stood shell-shocked by what just happened between YUNA and the MVP. He dropped his arms from Koharu's waist and turned around, logging off the game. "...Asuna, Koharu, let's go get a treat on me. Whatever you two want."
"What a lucky guy..."
"Did all that declaring just to have YUNA kiss him..."
"I couldn't tell if it was on the lips or the cheek. Maybe both?"
"And in front of his girlfriend too? He's in the doghouse now..."
"Good luck, pal."
"Lightning Flash Asuna. Kindred Assassin Koharu. Crimson Warrior Jaymes. Death isn't permanent in Ordinal Scale. And without the fear of death, a player's potential is unlimited. Next time we meet in-game, I'll show you my potential."